Where’s the bus? You’ll still wonder

“Oh no,” Lisa Pirnie said, as she walked up to the bus stop at Queen Avenue North near Denny Way, and found out from somebody else from the bus stop that her bus, Route 1 to downtown, had already gone by.

There is a gas station and mini-mart across the street, and if she knew exactly when the next bus was coming –as opposed to what it says on the schedule – she’d run across and get a soda or something.

It’s a common question at bus stops.

Is the bus late? Or had it already gone by?

Should I keep waiting or start walking?

But on another day, the experience of taking public transportation in Seattle was beginning to change.

Not for lowly bus riders, mind you.

But for riders of the new South Lake Union Streetcar.

Workers were installing new electronic signs at each of the streetcar stations. Using GPS technology, they’ll say exactly when the next streetcar is coming.

To some, though, knowing when the next streetcar or bus is coming really wouldn’t help much.

Living in the city has its moments – the overheard conversations, the memorable scenes on the street. It has its hassles like finding sign after sign – “No Parking Anytime.” This is a periodic look at those times.
E-mail us with your moments at kerymurakami@seattlepi.com